With Britain’s economic recovery well on track, companies are feeling more confident about hiring. The UK’s jobless rate is at a 10-year low, with people across all skillsets finding it easier to land work. However, some sectors are facing a severe shortage of skilled candidates. Recruitment website Adzuna has revealed which sectors had the highest number of vacancies on its website in Marc...

Approximately 15million individuals in the UK have a long-term health condition and it’s estimated that around half of the UK workforce will have at least one long-term health condition by 20301. Sickness absence alone costs employers and taxpayers an estimated £22 billion a year2. Workers with long-term health conditions and disabilities are at risk of leaving work, experiencing long-term sic...

23 of Lancashire's newest entrepreneurs are the first to benefit from a new startup business support programme funded by Boost Business Lancashire, the county's £7.8m business growth hub. As part of the fully funded Growth Support Programme, delivered by Winning Pitch and Enterprise4All, ambitious entrepreneurs can attend a two-day Lean Launchpad master class, equipping them with the skills t...

Boost Business Lancashire, the county’s business growth hub, has named three of the providers that will deliver support to the county’s growth-hungry businesses as the second phase of the award-winning service gets underway. £7.8m of funding was announced earlier this year to enable the Boost programme, which has already created over 1,200 new jobs and generated an additional £50m of economic...

Lancaster District Chamber of Commerce has thrown its weight behind Boost Business Lancashire, the £7.8million ERDF-backed Lancashire Business Growth Hub. The Chamber has joined Boost & Co, a group aiming to stimulate growth among businesses across the county. Chamber members will be informed about and encouraged to take advantage of the range of business support programmes available...

Representatives from business schools from across the country will be visiting the Management School on the 13th April for a Small Business Charter (SBC) workshop. The workshop will provide business schools with the opportunity to discuss challenges and best practice in supporting small businesses, student entrepreneurs and the local economy. The event will enable SBC award-holding schools, ...

Mike Armstead shared the story of how he picked a business up by its coattails at a Masterclass last week. When Mike took over home fragrance business Wax Lyrical in January 2007, the business had a turnover of £18m but was losing £5m. The company was hours from closure. He told an audience of business owners at Lancaster University Management School how, with a clear strategic focus, a lot ...

Rosebud Finance , which provides growth funding for Lancashire businesses, is looking to expand its portfolio as it approaches its 30th anniversary later this year. Rosebud provides loan and equity finance for businesses in growth sectors such as aerospace, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, creative and digital, energy and environmental technology, and financial and professional services. ...

Lancashire Business Expo 2016, took place at the Guild Hall in Preston on Friday 4March. The event saw 164 exhibitors from a wide variety of sectors come together under one roof to promote their wares to the Lancashire business community. Ian Coupe from Shout Network, the organisers of the event, said: “We were thrilled with the event and have had some fantastic feedback from the exhibitors...

The chairman of family-owned retailers Timpson has delivered a Masterclass on getting the best out of staff. Addressing a business audience at Lancaster University Management School on Wednesday, John Timpson CBE spoke about how to better engage with colleagues to ensure they feel a part of the business. Timpson is a multinational retailer specialising in shoe repairs, key cutting and engr...

Wayne Thomas, an Investment Director with Enterprise Ventures , one of our Boost & Co members, answers some of the common questions that companies ask when considering appointing a non-executive director (NXD). Why do I need a NXD? Most people who start small businesses do so because they have a passion for the product or service they want to provide, are good at what they do and ...

BAE Systems has released its full year financial results for 2015 and has seen sales and profits soar. The company, which employs around 13,000 people within its Military Air and Information business across 30 locations, including Warton and Samlesbury, saw 2015 operating profits rise from £1.3bn to £1.5bn as sales climbed 7.6 per cent to £17.9bn. The news comes off the back of the recent an...

The Chairman of family-owned jewellers Beaverbrooks will share his secrets to a successful business during an upcoming talk. Addressing a business audience at Lancaster University Management School on Wednesday, January 13, Mark Adlestone will be speaking about creating a culture of change within a large organisation, and more specifically, how profit, philanthropy, ethics and community can c...

Employers in England and
Wales can nowrefer employees to Fit for
Work.
Businesses have been able to refer employees in Scotland
since 29 June 2015. GPs have been referring working patients to Fit for Work
nationwide since July 2015.
Fit
for Work is a free occupational health scheme that offers a £500 tax exemption
to businesses per employee referred on medical grounds. For ...

This consultation seeks views on a range of proposals to
improve the effectiveness of the enforcement of employment rights to protect
workers from exploitation. It will be of interest to employers,
employees, trade unions and business representative bodies.
The proposals include:
Establishing a statutory Director of Labour Market
Enforcement Creating a new offence of a...

Launch of Consultation on proposals for challenging
“grossly unfair” payment contractual terms and practices The Government is welcoming views from across industry,
particularly from business representative bodies and small businesses on
proposals in this new consultation
document published on Monday 26 October 2015. This document sets out how
the Government proposes to change the U...

The head of Britain’s biggest bakery brand, Warburtons, is set to share the key reasons behind the company’s success. Addressing a business audience at Lancaster University Management School on October 15, Jonathan Warburton, Chairman of Warburtons –the UK’s most recognisable bakery brand which is bought by 86 per cent of households – will talk about how family values sit at the heart of the ...